Muslims Not Americans

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Radical "Revolution Muslim" brother changes his violent tune

Posted: December 8th, 2010 -- 03:48 PM ET

2 Comments | Add a comment [to AC360º blog]


Program Note: Last year, CNN's Drew Griffin spoke with the brothers of the "Revolution Muslim" who were spreading a message of violence on the New York City streets. Watch Drew's original report above. Drew Griffin has reconnected with one of these men, who just last year professed his love for Osama bin Laden, but in 2010 has changed his tune. Watch AC360° tonight at 10pm ET to here what he's saying now.

Drew Griffin
CNN Investigative Correspondent

Yousef al Khattab told me last year he loved Osama Bin Laden more than he loved himself. He tried to tell me why the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 were justified, and how he and his radical Islamic friends saw nothing wrong with the hate inspired rants they posted on their website: Revolution Muslim.

This past Sunday, on a brisk walk in Central Park, Khattab told me all those things he said were wrong. Waffling between declaring himself a dupe or simply misunderstood, he was explicit in the new message he is hoping to get out, that committing violence against civilians, whether in New York City or a Shiite Mosque in Iraq, is disgusting.

The website he helped found is now down. But today, we learn, its reach is far from over.

Over the past three years, followers, bloggers or readers of the site have been linked to 8 of the 27 terror cases here in the United States. And now Today "Revolution Muslim" can take partial credit for one more.

A 21 year old American who converted to Islam, is under arrest, accused of attempting to blow up a U.S. military recruiting station. And buried in the criminal complaint is this:

"On November 3, 2010, he was seen viewing the "Revolution Muslim" website...."

Khattab says the website become a "bug-light for Muslim misfits". He told me he regrets that his message was taken by some as a justification to attack civilians. He says terrorists who attack civilians anywhere in the world are "disgusting".

With so many of his followers under arrest, it is truly hard to tell if Khattab is now telling the truth, or just running scared. Law enforcement sources tell me either way, the collapse of this one website and apparent conversion of its founder, is a win.

Tonight, you have the opportunity to listen to Khattab, then and now, and decide which voice is the telling the truth.